Tales of Terror and Mystery

           Youknowwelookuponamanwhokissesandtellsasthegreatestcowardandvillainpossible."

           "Certainly,"saidtheGerman,gatheringuphisbasketofcuriosities,"whenhetellsanythingaboutagirlwhichispreviouslyunknownhemustbeso.Butinthiscase,asyoumustbeaware,itwasapublicmatterwhichwasthecommontalkofRome,sothatyouarenotreallydoingMissMarySaundersonanyinjurybydiscussinghercasewithme.Butstill,Irespectyourscruples;andsogoodnight!"

           "Waitabit,Burger,"saidKennedy,layinghishandupontheother’sarm;"Iamverykeenuponthiscatacombbusiness,andIcan’tletitdropquitesoeasily.Wouldyoumindaskingmesomethingelseinreturn—somethingnotquitesoeccentricthistime?"

           "No,no;youhaverefused,andthereisanendofit,"saidBurger,withhisbasketonhisarm."Nodoubtyouarequiterightnottoanswer,andnodoubtIamquiterightalso—andsoagain,mydearKennedy,goodnight!"

           TheEnglishmanwatchedBurgercrosstheroom,andhehadhishandonthehandleofthedoorbeforehishostsprangupwiththeairofamanwhoismakingthebestofthatwhichcannotbehelped.

           "Holdon,oldfellow,"saidhe;"Ithinkyouarebehavinginamostridiculousfashion;butstill;ifthisisyourcondition,IsupposethatImustsubmittoit.Ihatesayinganythingaboutagirl,but,asyousay,itisalloverRome,andIdon’tsupposeIcantellyouanythingwhichyoudonotknowalready.Whatwasityouwantedtoknow?"

           TheGermancamebacktothestove,and,layingdownhisbasket,hesankintohischaironcemore.